Raessa Oakensheild
by KrystalTwili
Summary: Raessa was from Nobel dwarf lineage when Erebor was in its glory, after the attack of smaug where her family perished she was left to fend for herself. One day working in a lowly tavern in Bree, she gets acquainted with an old 'Friend'. She goes on an adventure to reclaim her homeland, and possibly reclaim a certain dwarfs heart. [Thorin x OC]
1. Chapter 1

Raessa Oakenshield

Chapter one, March 15th 2941 Bree, the prancing pony:

Raessa wiped a rag across the freshly glossed wood of the bar, she sighed internally as another drunkard approached the bar, or more specifically her. She was sick of the stares and whispers because of race and to put it blunt her body. Still she served the man with kindness and her usual charming smile. She was sick of having to work as lowly barmaid barley scarping by on coppers earned by long days of tiring work. Her lineage was of Nobel descent from the golden walls of Erebor. She could faintly remember memories of her home there; it was there she lost her parents, her family, because of the accursed dragon, smaug. A small tear rolled down her cheek as she lamented on the past. She was about 23 when the dragon attacked, a young child in dwarf's eyes.  
She was snapped out of thought when an elderly chap clad in grey pilgrim clothes came through the door, with fresh dew tricking down his sodden face. His head was adorned with an odd shaped grey hat and his beard reached his belly, she also noted that he had a staff in his right hand.  
She could only guess that he was indeed the wandering wizard she had heard about so much.  
The inn keeper greeted the elderly chap amicably, and ushered him to the bar.  
Raessa stood on her crate at the bar and served him.  
"Good evening sir, what drink do you want?" she asked giving him a genuine smile.  
Gandalf raised his eyebrow at her and flashed his own smile back at her.  
"Wine please" he replied  
Raessa poured the silky crimson liquid into a glass goblet, and carefully gave it to the elderly man.  
The inn door swung open once again a small man dressed in a sky blue cloak with silver tassel entered the bar. Judging by his height she would say this man was a dwarf, finally it's been some time since she had seen her kin. And like Gandalf this Dwarrow was wet with rain.  
"Excuse me sir" she said the wizard before hopping off her crate and got out of the bar.  
She then approached the dwarf who was loitering near the door way.  
She was very close when she let out an involuntary gasp when she saw very familiar locks of raven hair. He turned around when he heard someone behind him and he too felt his breath hitch.  
"Th-Thorin?" she said shakily.  
"Rae-"said before the Dwarrowdam lunged into his burly arms.  
Thorin laughed for the first time in what feels like a century, he returned the embrace and nestled his nose into her brown hair and inhaled her intoxicating scent of honey and ale.  
Thorin hesitantly broke away from the embrace and stared into her golden hazel eyes.  
"All these years, and you've been here" He said  
"and 45 years later you get grey hairs" she jested  
Thorin gave her a look of mock sadness before letting out a hearty laugh.  
"Come, let me see you to a table" She said gesturing him into the crowded mass of drunken people and tables. She led Thorin to a booth near a window, and gave him a small kiss on his forehead.  
"I'll be back soon with your ale and food" She said and kissed her finger tips and pressed it upon Thorins lips. She then winked at him haughtily and walked off towards the bar, making sure she swayed her hips slightly as she walked. However, when she neared the bar she felt someone slap her on the butt, she turned around the see a man, possibly in his mid-thirties smiling drunkenly at her with his hand on her plump buttocks.  
"Get your hand off me" She demanded  
"Calm *Hiccup* down sweetheart" he said then grabbing her wrist and swinging her upon his lap.  
Raessa then pushed away and slammed him into the ground. Throin upon seeing this commotion seethed in rage and stormed over to the man and dragged him to his feet by the scruff of his neck.  
"Leave." He said in a booming voice that'd frighten even the toughest man in the bar.  
Throin the let go of the man and let him drop to his knees before scurrying away.  
Thorin turned to Raessa and placed one of his large calloused hands on her rosy cheeks.  
"Are you alright" Thorin asked  
"Mahal Thorin, I'm not a baby there's no need for you to gush about me. I get this sort of stuff from the men all the time" she said taking his hand off her cheek.  
Thorin just gave her a look of pure shock his mouth slightly agape.  
Raessa just threw him an **I'm fine **look, and went back to the bar the resume her shift hoping the landlord didn't see what just occurred. She warily watched Thorin go back to his seat his eyes never leaving hers. She then saw the wizard leave the bar and head over to Thorin.  
Raessa filled up a tankard with a honey coloured liquid and got food from the bars kitchens.  
She carefully balanced everything on a tray and headed over to Thorin and placed it the meal and drink before him. He nodded him head in thanks and gave her a smile.  
She then smiled in return before going back to the bar. Raessa watched Thorin and the man whom she deemed was called Gandlaf. After what seemed to be a heated chat, the elderly man left the bar. Raessa's curiosity got the better of her, and she decided to go to Thorin and ask what all that was about. She sat down next to him, and gently placed her hand on his knee and placed her head on his shoulder, inhaling his musky scent. Thorin shifted his head and gazed down at her, his piercing icy blue eyes burned into her hazel ones. They stayed there in a comfortable silence for a long time, enjoying each other's embrace. Until Rae, finally said something.  
"What did the wizard want?" she whispered  
"He wanted me to reclaim Erebor" Thorin replied.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: **

Current day

**Raessa P.o.v.**

After a good quarter of an hour searching for the smial, we found where Mr. Baggins should live.  
Dwalin walked into the small garden and knocked rather loudly on the round green door.  
After a minuet of waiting, the door finally opened to reveal a very confused little Halfling.  
"Dwalin, at your service." Said Dwalin bowing slightly.  
"Lady Raessa" I said curtsying.  
The hobbit lets out a noise like a whimper and he quickly ties his robe tighter and stands taller, although he still looked confused.  
"Bilbo Baggins, at yours."  
Dwalin walks inside without an invitation, leaving me stood there a little awkwardly shuffling my feet into the welcoming mat. I noticed the Halfling was still staring at me.  
"Please may I come in?" I asked he just nodded in reply a little dumfounded.  
I walked in and noticed Dwalin placing his weapons on a glory box.  
"Do we know each other?" Bilbo asked no one in particular.  
"No. Which way, laddie? Is it down here?" I heard Dwalin reply  
"I-is what down where?" Bilbo asked  
"Supper" I replied following Dwalin into what seemed to be a kitchen and dining room.  
"He said there'd be food, and lots of it." Dwalin finished.  
Dwalin sat down at a dainty little table with a small plate of fish in front of him, we hadn't eaten for a while so I could sympathise on why he was eating his food in such a manner, then again, we're dwarfs we don't have much etiquette for the way we eat. I saw the poor little Halfling crinkle up his nose.  
"Mm mm. … Very good this Anymore?" Dwalin asked the Halfling  
"What? Uh, oh, yes, yes  
"Ah." Dwalin said as Bilbo placed a jar of biscuits in front of Dwalin.  
"Help yourself."  
Bilbo brings over another jar biscuits; he hurriedly hides one behind his back for himself. Dwalin begins stuffing them in his mouth, I grinned at the poor Halfling.  
"Mmmm. It's just that, um, I wasn't expecting company." Started Bilbo before he was interrupted by his door bell.  
"That'll be the door." I heard Dwalin said causing me to giggle slightly.  
I heard the door creak open.  
"Balin, at your service." I heard someone say making me go to stand near the door way  
"Good evening." Bilbo said to Balin  
"Yes, yes it is, though I think it might rain later. Am I late?" He asked the Halfling winking knowingly at me. "Late for what?" Bilbo replied  
Balin then sees Dwalin, who is trying to get more biscuits from Bilbo's jar.  
"Oh, ha ha! Evening, brother. Heh, Heh." Laughed Balin.  
Laughing, they greet each other amicably. Putting their arms on each other's shoulders, they smash their foreheads together. I noticed Bilbo watching in wonder.  
"Uh, excuse me; sorry, I hate to interrupt, ah, but the thing is, I'm not entirely sure you're in the right house." Bilbo started.  
"Have you eaten?" I asked Balin  
"It's not that I don't like visitors; I-I like visitors as much as the next Hobbit, but I do like to know them before they come visiting." Bilbo continued oblivious to no one listening to him. Dwalin and Balin, not listening to Bilbo, are still rifling through his pantry.  
"Ah, that looks very nice indeed." Balin said inspecting some cheddar.  
Dwalin muttered something indistinguishable that I didn't pick up on,  
I noticed Balin picks up a lump of cheese, and he wrinkled his face in disgust.  
"What's this?" looking just as disgusted as his brother  
"I don't know, [indistinguishable] cheese." Balin replied  
"The thing is, um-" the poor hobbit tried to continue  
"It's gone blue." Balin shrieked  
"It's riddled with mould." Dwalin replied as he takes the cheese and tosses it out of the pantry past the still speaking Halfling.  
"The thing is, um, I, I don't know either of you, not in the slightest. I don't mean to be blunt, but I uh, but I had to speak my mind. I'm sorry." The Halfling finished  
The two dwarves pause and look at Bilbo, and I just grinned at him.  
"Hm. Apology accepted." Balin said continuing to look for food.  
"Mm!" Bilbo said in confusion I laughed at his reaction.  
Dwalin found a barrel of ale, and gestured to Balin to come help him.  
"Ah, now fill it up, brother, don't stint. I could eat again, if you insist." Balin cheered  
Balin hands a tankard to Dwalin so that it can be filled with ale. In the background, the doorbell rings again. I Saw Bilbo shuffle away towards the door.  
"Fill mine up too Dwalin!" I asked  
He just raised an eyebrow at me before filling up my tankard.  
I walked out of the pantry and into the dining room before I noticed the two young dwarf princes had entered the Halflings smial.  
"come on lads give us a hand" I said.  
"Let's shove this in the hallway, otherwise we'll never get everyone in." Balin said  
The dwarves prepare to shift Bilbo's furniture around to create a meeting/feasting place.  
"Ev-everyone? How many more are there?" I heard Bilbo stutter  
"Where do you want this?" I heard either fili or kili say.  
The doorbell rings very hard and longer than before. Bilbo, in anger, walks quickly toward the door, dumping all the swords and other equipment in his arms along the way. I followed the hobbit this time.  
"Oh no. No, no! There's nobody home. Go away, and bother somebody else. There's far too many dwarves in my dining room as it is. If- if- If this is some clotterd's idea of a joke, ha ha, I can only say, it is in very poor taste." Bilbo said before he looks at me "No offence my lady" he said  
Bilbo opens the door, and an entire heap of dwarves, eight to be exact, fall in. Struggling to get up, they grumble and yell at each other, saying "Get off!". Gandalf is standing behind them.  
I burst out laughing at all of them, helping them up.  
"Gandalf." I heard Bilbo say.  
The entire group of dwarves, 12 of them including myself, begins raiding Bilbo's pantry and taking out all his food. He tries to tell them to put it back, but they ignore him.  
"Those are my plates! Excuse me! Not my wine. Put that back. Put that back! Not the jam, please! ...Excuse me." I heard the Halfling cry.  
I noticed Bombur walks out of the pantry with three entire wheels of cheese.  
"Excuse me. A tad excessive, isn't it? Have you got a cheese knife?" I heard bilbo say.  
"Cheese knife? He eats it by the block." I replied to the Halfling.  
Oin and Gloin walk through the hall carrying chairs from one of Bilbo's rooms.  
"No, no, that's Grandpa Mungo's chair! No, I'm sorry, you'll have to take it back please. Take it back...It's antique, not for sitting on! Thank you! That's a book, not a coaster. Put that map down, thank you." The halflings face was beetroot red by now.  
"I cannot hear what you're saying!" oin said holding up his hearing aid trumpet.  
"He's somewhat deaf" I say to the Halfling.  
The dwarves continue bringing all of Bilbo's food and furniture into the dining room. Dori approaches Gandalf and me with a tray and some tea.  
"Excuse me, can I tempt you with a nice cup of chamomile tea?" Dori asks  
"Oh, no thank you, Dori. A little red wine for me, I think." Replied the elderly man  
Gandalf walks out of the dining room, trying to avoid the scurrying dwarves. He hits his head on the chandelier, then he begins counting the dwarves on his fingers.  
"I'll have one Dori" I smiled  
"Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Dwalin, Balin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Nori...Ori." I heard Gandlaf say before laying eyes on me " And Lady Raessa, what a surprise" he said smiling  
Bilbo wrestles a bowl of tomatoes away from Nori. Bifur, the dwarf with an axe in his head, approaches Gandalf and talks to him in Khuzdul.  
"Yes, you're quite right, Bifur. We appear to be one dwarf short." Gandalf replied to Bifur.  
"He is late, is all. He travelled North to a meeting of our kin. He will come." I reply to Gandalf  
"Mr. Gandalf?" I heard Dori say with is ever so nice manners.  
"Hmmm?" the wizard replied Turing around  
"A little glass of red wine, as requested. It's, eh, got a fruity bouquet." Dori said smiling as he handed the Halfling sized glass to Gandalf  
"Ah, Cheers." Gandalf drinks the tiny cup of wine Dori offers him, then looks sadly at the cup, wanting a little more, I smiled at him and winked before I went off on a search for a larger wine cup for the poor fellow. I search through the Halflings cupboards before finding a decent sized goblet.  
I then filled it with the silky crimson liquid before going on a hunt for Gandalf.  
I found him sat at a large makeshift table surrounded by my fellow dwarfs, I handed him the goblet, and he beamed a smile at me.  
The dwarves, sitting in Bilbo's dining room, have a grand feast with all his food. They are quite rude and messy about it. Bofur throws some food to his brother, Bombur.  
"Bombur, catch!" Bofur said as I ducked out of the way as Bofur threw some food past me.  
Bombur catches the food in his mouth, and everyone cheers. As everyone begins throwing food around, Bilbo walks away in disgust. He looked at his pantry in shock; it has been entirely cleared of food. Fili walks on top of the table, carrying several cups of ale and knocking aside the food in his way. "Who wants ale? There you go." Fili said passing Dwalin a drink.  
I asked for one but Fili just threw me a wicked look.  
"Let her have another drink!" Dwalin said  
"Here you go." Fili gave me a tankard of ale.  
Dwalin pours his ale into Oin's hearing trumpet, and as Oin splutters in anger, everyone else laughs. Oin puts his hearing trumpet to his mouth and blows the ale out of it, making it squeal. One of the dwarves yells, "On the count of three!" and the dwarves pound their tankards together. Someone counts, "One!...Two!" Then all the dwarves go quiet and begin drinking their ale together. They are incredibly messy, as ale falls all over their faces and runs down their beards. When finished drinking, they begin burping; the youngest, Ori, lets out the biggest burp. The dwarves laugh. Bilbo looks away in disgust. Then I stood up and belched, it was a tiny bit louder than ori's.  
"Now that's a fine lass!" I heard Bofur shout cat whistling I bowed in return and sat down.  
When the meal finishes, we leave the table and begin walking about. Bilbo grabs a doily back from Nori.  
"Excuse me, that is a doily, not a dishcloth!" Bilbo cried  
"But it's full of holes!" Bofur interrupted  
"It's supposed to look like that, it's crochet." Bilbo sighed  
"Oh, and a wonderful game it is too, if you got the balls for it." Bofur said mishearing what Bilbo said.  
"Bebother and confusticate these dwarves!" said Bilbo face palming himself  
"My dear Bilbo, what on earth is the matter?" I heard the wizard ask the hobbit.  
"What's the matter? I'm surrounded by dwarves. What are they doing here?" bilbo said not making eye contact with me.  
"Oh, they're quite a merry gathering, once you get used to them." Gandalf said winking at me.  
I noticed that Nori has a chain of sausages over his shoulder, and Bofur grabs them from him. They play tug-of-war with the sausages. Bilbo crinkles his nose up again.  
"I don't want to get used to them. The state of my kitchen! There's mud trod into the carpet, they've pi-pillaged the pantry. I'm not even going to tell you what they've done in the bathroom; they've all but destroyed the plumbing. I don't understand what they're doing in my house!" I heard Bilbo yell  
"Excuse me. I'm sorry to interrupt, but what should I do with my plate?" Ori asked Bilbo  
"Here you go, Ori, give it to me." Fili takes the plate from Ori and throws it to Kili, who throws it behind his back to Bifur, who is standing at the sink in the kitchen. Bifur catches it behind his back, without even looking at it. Kili, Fili, and other dwarves begin throwing the plates, bowls, and utensils to each other, eventually throwing them to the sink to be washed. As dishware flies through the air, Gandalf ducks to avoid getting hit. I stand next to Bofur who seems to be playing the flute.  
"Excuse me, that's my mother's West Farthing crockery, it's over a hundred years old!" Bilbo yelled.  
The dwarves at the tablet begin rhythmically drumming on the tablet with utensils and their fists. "And can-can you not do that? You'll blunt them!" the Halfling cried.  
"Ooh, d'hear that, lads? He says we'll blunt the knives." Bofur said winking at me  
Kili begins singing and the other dwarves join him, as they continue throwing the dishware, I decided to join in  
** "Blunt the knives, bend the forks  
Smash the bottles and burn the corks  
Chip the glasses and crack the plates  
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!  
Cut the cloth and tread on the fat  
Leave the bones on the bedroom mat  
Pour the milk on the pantry floor  
Splash the wine on every door  
Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl  
Pound them up with a thumping pole  
When you've finished, if any are whole  
Send them down the hall to roll**

**That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!"**

I watch the small hobbit huff up in anger, only for the huff to end in a weird choking noise as he found all the dishes stacked neatly and cleanly. The dwarves and Gandalf laugh. Suddenly, there are three loud knocks on the door, and we all falls silent.**  
** "He is here." Gandalf  
I hear the door creak open once again, and heavy boots come stomping in from the night's rain.  
"Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door." Thorin said sternly, as I held in a giggle, Thorin had never been good with directions.

"Mark? There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago!" the Halfling squeaked  
"There is a mark; I put it there myself. Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield." The wizard replied.  
"So, this is the Hobbit. Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?" Thorin asked the poor thing.  
"Pardon me?" blinked the Halfling.  
"Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice?" Thorin rolled his eyes.  
"Well, I have some skill at Conkers, if you must know, but I fail to see why that's relevant." The Halfling clasped his hands behind his back and rocked on his feet awkwardly.  
"Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar." Thorin said smirking slightly.  
We all laugh, and they walk back to the dining table. As Thorin eats, the rest of us talk to him.  
Thorin sat next me me, glaring at me.  
"I thought I told you not to come." He whisper yelled at her.  
"I signed the contract" I retorted "I am coming" I finished  
"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?" Balin interrupted our mini argument "Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms." Thorin replied turning his attention to the soup lay before him. The dwarves murmur their joy.  
"What do the dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?" Dwalin asked leaning into the table. "They will not come." Thorin replied glumly.  
The dwarves murmur in disappointment.

"They say this quest is ours, and ours alone." He finished  
Further disappointed murmurs erupt from the table.  
"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo interjected causing me to raise my eyebrows at the poor lad. "Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light." Gandalf gestured to some unlit candles.  
Bilbo brings a candle to the table, where Gandalf has spread out a map which was in his pocket.  
"Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak." The wizard spoke of the lonely mountain.  
"The Lonely Mountain." Bilbo read from the map.  
"Aye. Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time." Gloin cheered  
"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold: When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end." Oin added  
Bilbo, hearing "the beast," looks concerned "Uh, What beast?"  
"Well that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne fire-breather, teeth like razors, claws like meathooks, extremely fond of precious metals-" Bofur said cheerfully as per usual.  
"Yes, I know what a dragon is." The Halfling said  
"I'm not afraid! I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie." Ori piped up Causing Several of the dwarves to shout.  
"Sit down!" Dori and I said in unison.  
"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us. But we number just thirteen, and not thirteen of the best, nor brightest." Balin said.  
The dwarves start objecting, saying things like, "Hey, who are you calling dim?" "Watch it!", and "No!"  
"What did he say?" Oin said with his hearing trumpet wedged in his hairy ear.  
"We may be few in number, but we're fighters, all of us, to the last dwarf!" Fili rallied  
"And you forget, we have a wizard in our company. Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time." Finished Kili  
"Oh, well, now, uh, I-I-I wouldn't say that, I- -" Gandalf spluttered  
"How many, then?" I asked  
"Uh, what?" Gandalf said before Dori interrupted  
"Well, how many dragons have you killed? Go on, give us a number!"  
"Hm." The wizard embarrassedly starts coughing on his pipe smoke; the dwarves jump to their feet, arguing about the number of dragons Gandalf has killed. Thorin jumps up in anger and bellows, silencing the rest. I'm guessing this wizard hasn't killed any drakes.

"**Shazara!** [Silence!] If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumours have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east to the Mountain, assessing, wondering, and weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor? **Du Bekâr! Du Bekâr**! [To arms! To arms!]" Thorin barked.  
All the dwarves cheer to Thorins motivational speech.  
"You forget: the front gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain." Balin put a downer on us. "That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true." Gandalf corrected.  
Twiddling his fingers, Gandalf produces a dwarvish key, ornately wrought. Thorin looks at it in wonder.  
"How came you by this?" Thorin asked  
"It was given to me by your father, by Thrain, for safekeeping. It is yours now." Gandalf hands the key to Thorin as everyone looks on in wonder.  
"If there is a key, there must be a door." Fili said stating the obvious.  
Gandalf points at runes on his map with his pipe "These runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls."  
"There's another way in!" Kili said, stating the obvious like his brother.  
"Well, if we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle-earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But, if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done." Gandalf said  
"That's why we need a burglar." I said staring at Bilbo  
"Hm, A good one, too. An expert, I'd imagine." Bilbo said rocking on his feet again.  
"And are you?" Gloin asked  
"Am I what?" Bilbo blinked.  
"He said he's an expert! Hey hey!" Oin yelled causing Several of the dwarves to laugh.  
"M-Me? No, no, no, no, no. I'm not a burglar; I've never stolen a thing in my life." Bilbo yelled  
"I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material." Balin sighed causing Bilbo to nod in agreement.  
"Aye, the wild is no place for gentlefolk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves." Dwalin stated .  
Bilbo continues nodding in agreement; the dwarves begin arguing. Gandalf, growing angry, rises to his full height and casts darkness over the group as starts speaking in his "powerful" voice. The others stop in awe. "Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is."  
Gandalf goes back to his normal self "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest, and he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself. You must trust me on this."  
"Very well. We will do it your way. " Thorin said  
"No, no, no." The Halfling started  
"Give him the contract." Thorin ordered  
"Please." Bilbo stuttered  
"Alright, we're off!" Bofur said.  
Balin hands Bilbo a long contract "It's just the usual summary of out-of-pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth."  
"Funeral arrangements?" The Halfling stuttered As Bilbo steps back a few feet to read the contract, Thorin leans toward Gandalf and whispers to him.  
"I cannot guarantee his safety."  
"Understood." Gandalf said  
"Nor will I be responsible for his fate." Thorin finished  
"Agreed."  
Bilbo reads parts of the contract out loud "Terms: Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one fourteenth of total profit, if any. Seems fair. Eh, Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to lacerations ... evisceration … incineration?"  
"Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bofur stated  
Causing Bilbo to look a little breathless "Huh."  
"You all right, laddie?" Balin said  
Bilbo bends over, nauseous and pained "Uh, yeah...Feel a bit faint."  
"Think furnace with wings." Bofur said with little motions.  
"Air, I-I-I need air." The Halfling stuttered.  
"Flash of light, searing pain, then Poof! you're nothing more than a pile of ash." Bofur finished  
Bilbo breathes heavily, trying to compose himself as the others stare at him "Hmmm. Nope." and falls on the floor in a faint.  
"Very helpful Bofur" I grinned at him.  
About 20 minutes later the Halfling is up and is sitting on his chair, holding a mug and talking to Gandalf.  
"I'll be all right, let me just sit quietly for a moment." Bilbo said  
"You've been sitting quietly for far too long. Tell me; when did doilies and your mother's dishes become so important to you? I remember a young Hobbit who always was running off in search of elves and the woods, who'd stay out late, come home after dark, trailing mud and twigs and fireflies. A young Hobbit who would have liked nothing better than to find out what was beyond the borders of the Shire. The world is not in your books and maps; it's out there." Gandalf stated  
"I can't just go running off into the blue. I am a Baggins, of Bag End." The Halfling said  
"You are also a Took. Did you know that your great-great-great-great-uncle, Bullroarer Took, was so large he could ride a real horse?" Gandalf said causing me to gasp.  
"Yes." Bilbo stated  
"Well he could. In the Battle of Green Fields, he charged the goblin ranks. He swung his club so hard it knocked the Goblin King's head clean off, and it sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit hole. And thus the battle was won, and the game of golf invented at the same time." Gandalf laughed  
"I do believe you made that up." Bilbo grinned  
"Well, all good stories deserve embellishment. You'll have a tale or two to tell of your own when you come back." Gandalf said  
"Can you promise that I will come back?" Bilbo whispered  
"No. And if you do, you will not be the same." Gandalf replied  
"That's what I thought. Sorry, Gandalf, I can't sign this. You've got the wrong Hobbit." The Halfling said causing me to sigh. He walks away down the hall. Gandalf sighs. Balin and Thorin see Bilbo walking away.  
"It appears we have lost our burglar. Probably for the best. The odds were always against us. After all, what are we? Merchants, miners, tinkers, toy-makers; hardly the stuff of legend." Balin sighs causing me to get up and give him a reassuring pat on the back.  
"There are a few warriors amongst us." Thorin started  
"Old warriors." Balin interrupted  
"I will take each and every one of these dwarves over an army from the Iron Hills. For when I called upon them, they came. Loyalty. Honor. A willing heart. I can ask no more than that." Thorin said "You don't have to do this. You have a choice. You've done honorably by our people. You have built a new life for us in the Blue Mountains, a life of peace and plenty. A life that is worth more than all the gold in Erebor." Pleaded the old dwarf.  
Thorin holds out the key Gandalf gave him for us to see.  
"From my grandfather to my father, this has come to me. They dreamt of the day when the dwarves of Erebor would reclaim their homeland. There is no choice, Balin and Rae. Not for me." Thorin said.  
"Then we are with you, laddie. We will see it done." Balin said  
"Aye" I finished hugging Thorin.  
The dwarves gather in the Halfling's living room, smoking their pipes by the fire. They all begin humming, and soon Thorin begins to sing, and the others join him (on the second stanza below). Gandalf listens from nearby; Bilbo listens from his bedroom.

** "Far over the misty mountains cold**

**To dungeons deep and caverns old**

**We must away ere break of day**

**To find our long-forgotten gold**

**The pines were roaring on the height**

**The winds were moaning in the night**

**The fire was red, it flaming spread**

**The trees like torches blazed with light"**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

Sunrise swept over the shire in a misty haze; morning dew littered the lush rolling hills of the landscape. A lone Dwarrowdam silhouetted against the sunrise, leaning on the white picketed fences of bag-end. The wind caressed her long silky hair, whipping around her face as she inhaled the fresh morning air. She could feel someone come behind her; she turned around to be met with icy blue orbs staring at her adoringly. A faint scarlet tinged her alabaster cheeks, she quickly turned away and looked off into the distance. Her breath hitched as strong muscular arms wrapped securely around her slim waist. She melted into the all too familiar embrace and snuggled herself into Thorins neck. Raessa looked up and got lost in the intensity of the stormy eyes staring down at her.  
"We're going home" He whispered in a deep husky voice in her ear.

Several hours later.  
The company had finished packing their belongings along with a few of Bilbos. Raessa even snabbed a few handkerchiefs for herself. She noticed that the troublesome two (aka fili and kili)  
where clearly up to something with Bofur. Rae haughtily sauntered over to the trio to inspect on their mischief.  
"I bet their married before winter" She heard Kili say before he stopped when he noticed her standing behind him. Raessa just rose an eyebrow at the brunette before sending him a cheeky wink before going elsewhere.  
Raessa went to her chestnut mare named Epona, who was as sweet as any pony could be.  
Soon all the company were sat on their ponies ready to embark on their adventure to reclaim their homeland.  
"I bet ten gold coins the Halfling won't show up" Dwalin said  
"I bet five he will" retorted Gandalf  
Soon all the company erupted in a shouting of bets, so Rae decided to join in on the fun.  
"I bet fifty gold coins he will" She said hoping with all her will that the Halfling would show as she just betted all her money stupidly.  
Kili just smirked at her, "It's your loss." He started "And our gain" Fili finished making Rae roll her eyes. Time loomed on as Gandalf led them out of the shire, Bilbo's absence was surly going to be permanent. The dwarves are riding their ponies, and Gandalf his horse, down a path through a beautifully majestic wooded area. A few words of their conversation are heard from the rest of the company , including "waste of time" and "use a hobbit".  
Suddenly a curly mop of reddish brown hair appeared stomping straight for them.  
Some dwarves call "Woah!" and stop their ponies. Bilbo catches up to them and hands Balin the contract. Raessa grinned mirthfully at the little hobbit.  
"I signed it!" Bilbo stated proudly grinning like a mad man.  
Balin takes the contract and inspects it with a pocket-glass. He then smiles at Bilbo.  
"Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield." He stated.  
Everyone cheers but Rae noticed a look of disdain flash across Thorins eyes.  
"Give him a pony." He muttered bluntly.  
"No, no, no, no, that-that won't be necessary, thank you, but I-I'm sure I can keep up on foot. I- I-I've done my fair share of walking holidays, you know. I even got as far as Frogmorton once-WAGH!" She heard the poor Halfling stutter but Bilbo's speech is cut off as fili and kili ride alongside him and pick him up from behind to put him on a pony, making her burst out in a fit of hearty laughter. The Halfling sat on his pony and looking quite terrified. The pony neighs and tosses its head, making him look quite uncomfortable.  
"Come on, Nori, pay up. Go on." Raessa called  
Nori tosses a sack of money to her and Oin; sacks of money begin passing between the dwarves and wizard.  
"Hey, hey, hey!" Oin yelled cheerfully receiving a large bag of coins.  
Some of the dwarves laugh, mostly Raessa as she had nearly tripled her money.  
"What's that about?" Raessa heard Bilbo ask  
"Oh, they took wagers on whether or not you'd turn up. Most of them bet that you wouldn't." Gandlaf replied winking at Raessa.  
"What did you think?" Bilbo crinkled up his petit nose.  
"Hmmm." Gandalf catches a sack of money tossed to him and puts it in his bag  
"My dear fellow, I never doubted you for a second."  
Then Bilbo sneezed rather loudly "Ohh. All this horse hair, I'm having a reaction."  
She watch the halfling search his pockets for a handkerchief. He is unable to find it, and he looks up in shock. "No, no, wait, wait, stop! Stop! We have to turn around."  
The entire company comes to a halt, and the dwarves start objecting and asking what the problem is. "What on earth is the matter?"  
"I forgot my handkerchief." Bilbo wailed  
Bofur tears a strip of cloth from his clothing and tosses it to Bilbo.  
"Here! Use this." He says over optimistically making Rae tut  
Bilbo catches the rag and looks at it in disgust. The dwarves laugh and begin to continue their journey. Raessa trotted over to Bilbo and handed him one of the handkerchiefs she got from his house and without a work trotted away.  
"Move on." Thorin commanded  
"You'll have to manage without pocket-handkerchiefs and a good many other things, Bilbo Baggins, before we reach our journey's end. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you; the world is ahead." Gandlaf lectured clearly not have seen Rae give him a handkerchief.

**home is behind the world's ahead**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter four: Bree**

Half a day away from the shire, the company arrived at the small tavern filled town of Bree.  
Many curious onlookers gathered around the town to try and catch a glimpse of the weird collection of travellers arriving at the town. There were even Hobbits trotting about much to Bilbo's surprise.  
The company arrived at the town's stables where they deposited their ponies.  
5 gold coins a night the sign said, hanging above the barn like door of one of the stables.  
"A fair price" Rae mused inside her head before handing five golden coins to a haggard old man who grinned an almost toothless grin at her before bowing his head politely.  
The company of Oakenshield where to meet at the prancing pony at nightfall, tis currently dusk so she had a little time to spare. Raessa trotted down to the nearest forge and went to inspect the goods it held. She grimaced as she noticed she was getting far too much attention from the men of this village. Neither the less she carried on to the blacksmiths; to her dismay it was already closed.  
She inwardly sighed and went to turn around but she bumped into someone and fell on her bottom.  
"Oh sorry" She said looking up; it seemed she had bumped into a rather tall man. She never liked tall people; it imitated her, being dwarf and all.  
"It's all right lass" He grinned extending his hand in a gesture to help her up, but there was something in the grin she didn't trust, but she took his hand anyway to heave herself off the dusty mud covered path of Bree.  
"So what's a pretty lass doing out here, in a nasty place like this in the wee hours of the night?" The man said a slight slur to his voice.  
"I'm here on business" She replied bluntly and turned on her heel ready to march off when his grimy hand firmly gripped her wrist and twisted it behind her back.  
"Agh" She screeched as he pressed it harder.  
"Whore" he whisper yelled in her ear "You shall serve your**_ business _**to me tonight"  
"NO!" She screamed at the man, stamping on his toe making him release a grip.  
Raessa bolted towards the in knowing she was in hot pursuit; she now noticed another man had joined the other grimy man chasing her.  
"Almost there" She panted reaching for the doorknob of the inn and ran inside, leaving the door swung open, she panned her vision around the dimly lit bar until she found the company.  
All panic and fear melted away as she met gaze with Thorin.  
Suddenly she was knocked to the ground by the men chasing her; he had a half smashed bottle in his wrinkled hand, aiming for her head he swung down. But Raessa were too fast and dodged her head out of the way. The man furiously straddled her, she couldn't breathe properly now.  
The man whacked her over the head, her vision went blurry.  
Shouting could be heard, but she couldn't see properly, then the weight on top of her was abruptly removed. The blackness began to fade in more now, she tried to fight the unconsciousness that swept over her, but she couldn't she fell unconscious.

She woke up, in a moon lit room. She found herself in a fine bed, her vision panned lazily around the room until her eyes landed on a figure brooding on a chair near the window.  
A fire place crackled on her right leaving a warm glow to emit in the room.  
"H-hello..?" She said groggily.  
The figure whipped its head around, piercing icy pools bored into her eyes.  
"T-Thorin" I said smiling before coughing.  
He rushed himself to my side placing his rough calloused hands on my cheeks, his eyes alit with fury.  
"Are you alright?" He asked me.  
"Aye, just had a fright tis' all" Rae replied  
"You had a bit more than a fright" He replied to her in a deep voice.  
"You need your rest we leave tomorrow in the early hours of the morning" He said getting up getting ready to leave.  
"Stay" She said Thorins eyes bored into hers as he stripped off his armour so he were in nothing but his undergarments, Raessa got out of bed and flushed like a mad man as she did the same.  
They both got into bed and snuggled into one another's heat, and fell into the best night's sleep they both had in centuries.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five:

Raessa woke up groggily, wrapped in a warm embrace. Her head was leant on a hairy chest, and she could hear the thumping of her 'pillows' heartbeat. Her hand trailed lazily along Thorins chest, she felt stirring beneath her. Suddenly Thorins eyes fluttered open and gazed down adoringly into hers.  
"Good morning" He slurred happily beaming down lovingly at her.  
"Good morning" She replied blushing madly stretching out her tired limbs and swung her legs over the king size bed. Suddenly arms wrapped themselves around her petit waist and sucked her back into the warm bed. Thorin nuzzled his nose into the crook of Rae's neck.  
"We don't have to go too soon" He mused smiling into her neck.

A few hours later.  
The company assembled themselves downstairs in the bar area of the inn. Once Thorin and Raessa made themselves known, the company headed out to the stables.  
The dwarfs were muttering amongst themselves exchanging suspicious glances at Thorin and Rae's intertwined hands. Rae swore she heard Bofur whisper to Kili saying something along the lines of betting and marriage.  
Suddenly Thorin jerked up "I forgot something" He said in his usual cool tone before marching of leaving the company there stood a little stunned before carrying on walking to the stables.  
Dwalin walked over to Raessa's side "So what happened last night" He said face full of mirth his bushy eyebrows raised at her. Raessa just inflated her cheeks before letting out a large huff and marched off into the stable. It seemed that everyone in the tavern must have heard her and Thorins antics last night, damn.  
She walked into the well maintained stable and saw the keeper of horses asleep on a stool in the corner bits of hay sticking out of his residing hair. She left him too his well-deserved sleep and made her way to her pony.  
"Hello there Epona" She said ticking the pony under its chin.  
She then opened the pen and untied her pony from the rope and set the saddle upon it.  
She then sat on her pony and rode it out of the stables out into the street.  
She saw several of the others had already done so welcoming her with smiles.  
Raessa did a quick head count and still noticed Thorin hadn't returned.  
She silently turned to Dwalin and raised an eyebrow he just smirked in return.  
Raessa saw the small Halfling struggle to get upon his steed, she hastily hopped off her pony and gave him a leg up onto his own pony, and he let out a sigh of relief and smiled appreciatedly at her. She just bopped her head once flashing him a smile, in the corner of her eye she noticed a wild flowers growing on the corner of the stabled, she smiled and pluck just a single flower of a deep blue shade akin to a large daisy. She hid it hastily in her armour.  
Raessa saw an all too familiar face approach them, with something very unfamiliar on their face. Was Thorin Oakenshield blushing?  
She noticed he was holding a long singular object in his hand, a sheaved sword she deemed.  
The scabbard was very intricately detailed. Throin walked over to her in his long majestic strides till they were facing one another. "I forged this for you, last night." He said holding out the sword.  
Raessa turned scarlet red, was Thorin giving her a courting gift?  
"T-Thank you" She bowed her head then looked at him.  
She then fumbled around in her pocket and found the single flower she picked and put it into Thorins palm. Thorin flushed a deep scarlet that was hid mostly by his short beard.  
Flowers were a significant gift to receive from a Dwarrowdam, it symbolises acceptance in courting and asking permission to be courting. It can also be used as a flirting ice breaker during courting sessions when a Dwarrowdam would present a gift made from flowers.  
"Thank you" He said smiling then Kili walked over.  
"Ye know I don't think I've ever seen uncle smile so much" He coughed awkwardly before continuing "I need to know your secret" he mock whispered earning a mock serious slap across the back of his head from Raessa.  
"Way to spoil a moment" She grumbled earning an eruption of laugh from the company who were on looking. She then pulled Thorin up close and pecked him on the cheek before retreating to her pony.  
"Mahal this woman will be the end of me" Thorin muttered the no one in particular.

**a/n: Sorry for the short chapters the next one will be mega long i promise :D  
Please review :3**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter five:

Raessa woke up groggily, wrapped in a warm embrace. Her head was leant on a hairy chest, and she could hear the thumping of her 'pillows' heartbeat. Her hand trailed lazily along Thorins chest, she felt stirring beneath her. Suddenly Thorins eyes fluttered open and gazed down adoringly into hers.  
"Good morning" He slurred happily beaming down lovingly at her.  
"Good morning" She replied blushing madly stretching out her tired limbs and swung her legs over the king size bed. Suddenly arms wrapped themselves around her petit waist and sucked her back into the warm bed. Thorin nuzzled his nose into the crook of Rae's neck.  
"We don't have to go too soon" He mused smiling into her neck.

A few hours later.  
The company assembled themselves downstairs in the bar area of the inn. Once Thorin and Raessa made themselves known, the company headed out to the stables.  
The dwarfs were muttering amongst themselves exchanging suspicious glances at Thorin and Rae's intertwined hands. Rae swore she heard Bofur whisper to Kili saying something along the lines of betting and marriage.  
Suddenly Thorin jerked up "I forgot something" He said in his usual cool tone before marching of leaving the company there stood a little stunned before carrying on walking to the stables.  
Dwalin walked over to Raessa's side "So what happened last night" He said face full of mirth his bushy eyebrows raised at her. Raessa just inflated her cheeks before letting out a large huff and marched off into the stable. It seemed that everyone in the tavern must have heard her and Thorins antics last night, damn.  
She walked into the well maintained stable and saw the keeper of horses asleep on a stool in the corner bits of hay sticking out of his residing hair. She left him too his well-deserved sleep and made her way to her pony.  
"Hello there Epona" She said ticking the pony under its chin.  
She then opened the pen and untied her pony from the rope and set the saddle upon it.  
She then sat on her pony and rode it out of the stables out into the street.  
She saw several of the others had already done so welcoming her with smiles.  
Raessa did a quick head count and still noticed Thorin hadn't returned.  
She silently turned to Dwalin and raised an eyebrow he just smirked in return.  
Raessa saw the small Halfling struggle to get upon his steed, she hastily hopped off her pony and gave him a leg up onto his own pony, and he let out a sigh of relief and smiled appreciatedly at her. She just bopped her head once flashing him a smile, in the corner of her eye she noticed a wild flowers growing on the corner of the stabled, she smiled and pluck just a single flower of a deep blue shade akin to a large daisy. She hid it hastily in her armour.  
Raessa saw an all too familiar face approach them, with something very unfamiliar on their face. Was Thorin Oakenshield blushing?  
She noticed he was holding a long singular object in his hand, a sheaved sword she deemed.  
The scabbard was very intricately detailed. Throin walked over to her in his long majestic strides till they were facing one another. "I forged this for you, last night." He said holding out the sword.  
Raessa turned scarlet red, was Thorin giving her a courting gift?  
"T-Thank you" She bowed her head then looked at him.  
She then fumbled around in her pocket and found the single flower she picked and put it into Thorins palm. Thorin flushed a deep scarlet that was hid mostly by his short beard.  
Flowers were a significant gift to receive from a Dwarrowdam, it symbolises acceptance in courting and asking permission to be courting. It can also be used as a flirting ice breaker during courting sessions when a Dwarrowdam would present a gift made from flowers.  
"Thank you" He said smiling then Kili walked over.  
"Ye know I don't think I've ever seen uncle smile so much" He coughed awkwardly before continuing "I need to know your secret" he mock whispered earning a mock serious slap across the back of his head from Raessa.  
"Way to spoil a moment" She grumbled earning an eruption of laugh from the company who were on looking. She then pulled Thorin up close and pecked him on the cheek before retreating to her pony.  
"Mahal this woman will be the end of me" Thorin muttered the no one in particular.

Chapter 6

The company rode for days on end Company travelling through many beautiful areas of Middle-earth, including forest, hills, and plains.

One night the company had camped for the night near the edge of a cliff. As Gloin sleeps, tiny flying insects get sucked into his mouth every time he inhales, and they are expelled when he crinkled her nose is disgust, she noticed Bilbo watched in disgust also, then he finally gets up and walks around. Most of the dwarves were asleep; Gandalf, Fili, and Kili are awake. Bilbo walked over to his pony and gives her an apple, after checking to see that no one is looking, but Raessa was and strolled over to Bilbo.  
"Hello, girl. That's a good girl. It's our little secret, Myrtle; you must tell no one. sh, sh" She heard the Halfling say as he tickled his pony under the chin and gave it a sweet red apple.

He jumped when he saw Raessa leaning on a tree near him her arms folded watching him intently.  
"You shouldn't waste food like that" She said making Bilbo jump as she resembled thorin at that point.  
"I- Oh I- Erm" The poor Halfling stuttered  
Raessa smirked "I'm just jesting" She said ruffling bilbos hair.  
"I never got a chance to properly get to know you" Raessa said smiling at Bilbo.  
"Erm- Yes, none of the others seem to want me here." He mumbled.  
"That's not true, ya see, we're just cautious" Raessa started "Tis' just our virtue, we're dwarfs very suspicious creatures" She smirked  
Raessa and Bilbo talked for hours until an ear piercing scream shattered through the night sky.  
Raessa and Bilbo returned to camp, Bilbo seated himself over to the princes.  
Raessa however strolled over to Thorin who was stood on the edge of a cliff the wind caressing his long locks of raven coloured hair flowing majestically in the soft breeze. She walked next to him and leant her head onto Thorins shoulder, he hummed in content. She then overheard fili, klili and bilbos conversation.  
"Orcs?" The poor Halfling squeaked  
"Throat-cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them." Fili started.  
"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood." Kili finished.  
Raessa turned her head to look at them and then Bilbo looked away in fright; Fili and Kili look at each other and begin laughing they soon ceased their laughter when they caught Raessa's fiery glare.  
"You think that's funny?" She roared at the boys who looked to the floor in shame  
"You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?" Thorin yelled  
"We didn't mean anything by it." Kili said shamefully  
"No, you didn't." Raessa yelled  
"You know nothing of the world." Thorin said coolly before frogmarching himself and Raessa back to their spot on the edge of the cliff. They walk off to the edge of the cliff and look out over the valley; Balin walks up to Fili and Kili.  
"Don't mind them, laddie. They have more cause than most to hate orcs. After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first."  
**Flashback of the Battle of Azanulbizar; thousands of dwarves and orcs fight in front of the gates of Moria. Thorin, Thror, Thrain, Balin, Dwalin and Raessa fighting fiercely. A massive, pale, orc wipes out many dwarves with his mace, and then engages King Thror.  
** "Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs lead by the most vile of all their race: Azog, the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the King." Balin continued**  
Azog, having defeated King Thror, holds up his beheaded head as he roars; he then flings the head, which bounces and rolls to Thorin's feet.  
** "**Nooo!" said young thorin in the flash back, he picked up his sword and gave one last glance back at Raessa before he charged towards Azog  
** "Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us." Balin said**  
In the flashback, the orcs have overpowered the dwarves, and the dwarves flee for their lives.**

"That is when I saw him: a young dwarf prince facing down the Pale Orc." Balin said sighing admirably.  
**Thorin faces Azog; Azog swings his mace and knocks away first Thorin's shield, then his sword. Thorin falls down an embankment and lands on the ground. He heard Raessa screaming his name giving him courage and power,**  
"He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armor rent…wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield" Balin lamented  
**Azog leaps to smash Thorin, but Thorin, grabbing an oaken branch lying on the round, manages to roll away in time. Azog continues wielding his mace against Thorin, who is still on the ground, but Thorin blocks his mace with the oaken branch, which he uses as a shield. As Azog swings one last time, Thorin, grabbing a sword lying nearby, cuts off Azog's left arm, his mace arm, from below the elbow. Azog clutches the stump of his arm as he howls in pain.  
** "Azog, the Defiler, learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken."**  
Azog is rushed into Moria by other orcs; Thorin, yelling "Du Bekâr! Du Bekâr!" (To arms! To arms!'), rallies the dwarves to battle. They stop fleeing and return to battle, fighting ferociously. The dwarves now seem to have the advantage. Thorin and Raessa fight side by side salying any orc who dared to come near the duo.  
** "Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived."**  
The battlefield is covered in the corpses of dwarves and orcs; the surviving dwarves weep with one another over their loss. A younger Balin and Dwalin hug and put their foreheads together as they weep. Balin, still weeping, looks up and sees Thorin framed in the sunlight, holding his oaken branch cradling a weeping Raessa in him dirty blood stained arms.  
** "And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King." Balin finished. In the present, Thorin and Raessa turn away from the view beyond the cliff; the entire Company is awake and standing in awe, staring at them. They walk between them toward the fire.  
"But the pale orc? What happened to him?" Bilbo asked**  
** "He slunk back into the hole whence he came." Thorin spat  
"That filth died of his wounds long ago." Raessa finished.  
They both sat down staring into the fire brows creased as the past haunted them, a lonely tear strolled down Raessa's cheek.  
"That's the day I lost them." Rae told Bilbo.  
"Pardon me?" He asked confused.  
"My family" she sighed "They were slain by orcs in the battle." A sliver stream of tears rolled down her alabaster cheek. Dwalin and Balin made their way over to her and group hugged her.  
She broke down into heart quaking sobs that racked her whole petit body.  
"I-Miss *Hiccup* them *Hiccup* so much" She bawled into Dwalin shoulder.  
Even Thorin joined into the group hug.  
"Im sorry for bringing it up lass" Balin said tears also strolling down his cheek.  
"It's *Hiccup* Okay *hiccup* I shouldn't bottle my emotions up *hiccup*" She bawled.  
After a long embrace by her fellow warriors everyone got their sleeping rolls out and got ready to retire for the night. Raessa couldn't sleep, she saw the Hobbit had the same problem too, probably the Wargs howling keeping him up.  
She put her bedroll next to his and tried to smile.  
They continued their conversation again, talking about the shire whilst she talked about her travels around middle earth and why she didn't stay at the blue mountains.  
"There are several reasons I didn't stay at the Ered Luin." She said "Firstly it didn't feel like home, it could never replace my home in Erebor, Secondly I got my heart broken and I don't wish to delve into that. Thirdly after my family died I couldn't bear to return and went off the see the world."  
They talked for a few more hours until the moon was at its peak.  
Somehow She started to talk about her family again.  
"My mother died in child birth to my youngest brother. So it was just me my two eldest brother my father and my youngest brother for a long time, Until Battle of Azanulbizar where they were taken from me " She said her eyes welling up again. The hobbit then hugged her.  
"Its time we get some rest" Raessa said lying down.  
"Indeed" The hobbit said lying down too.  
Soon all the camp were asleep save for Thorin who seemed to be in deep thought, What did Raessa mean by heart break?


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

Raessa woke up to the trickling of rain dropping on her face, as did the rest of the company.  
And soon that trickling of rain turned into a down pour that pelted you in the face if you didn't put your hood up. This was hard to do because the wind was blowing a Gail.  
About midday most of the dwarfs were absolutely fed up with the cold, wet and windy weather.  
Finally someone broke the icy tension.  
"Here, Mr. Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?" Dori moaned  
"It is raining, Master Dwarf, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done. If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourself another wizard." The wizard retorted  
"Are there any?" Bilbo asked  
"What?" Gandalf asked  
"Other wizards?" Bilbo replied fiddling with a handkerchief in his pocket.  
"There are five of us. The greatest of our order is Saruman, the White. Then there are the two Blue Wizards; you know, I've quite forgotten their names." Gandalf  
"And who is the fifth?" Raessa asked  
"Well, that would be Radagast, the Brown."  
"Is he a great Wizard or is he...more like you?" Bilbo asked innocently not meaning to imply anything.  
Gandalf looks slightly offended before retorting "I think he's a very great wizard, in his own way. He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the East, and a good thing too, for always Evil will look to find a foothold in this world."  
That conversation was the last conversation for a good few hours, the rain had finally begun to die down and dusk swept over the land with its pink tainted sky and orange clouds. Raessa wished she could paint it but left all her art equipment at Bilbos house. She sighed.  
"What ails you lass?" Bofur asked brightly.  
"Oh nothing important Bofur" She smiled but it came out like a grimace.  
"I do wish I brought my art equipment though this sunset would make a lovely painting." She sighed  
"Aye"Ori the bashful dwarf said his sodden notebook in hand trying the sketch the landscape with charcoal. "I wish I brought some paints too" He smiled at her.  
"May i?" She asked gesturing the rest of the sentence in Iglishmêk **use some of your equipment please?**  
He smiled at her so much she thought his face would rip into two. He trotted his caramel pony dandelion over to near her pony Epona and handed her a small A5 pad of sheep skin paper and three different shades of charcoal. Raessa's eyes lit up in joy and she practically squealed like a young dwarfling, even Thorin looked back over his shoulder to see what the commotion was about. When he turned he saw Raessa give Ori a big kiss on his cheek and a hug. He felt a pang of jealousy run through him, he quickly turned away. He noticed a dilapidated farm house up ahead.  
"We'll camp here for the night. Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them." Thorin said with a storm cloud living above his head.  
"A farmer and his family used to live here." Gandalf said bending down and touching the somewhat fresh ruins of the farm house.  
"Oin, Gloin." Thorin ignored him and ordered the brothers.  
"Aye?" They responded in unison  
"Get a fire going." He said glancing over at Raessa who already plonked herself on a tree stump scribbling in a tattered sketchbook.  
"Right you are." Gloin said getting his firewood out of his pack and dumped it in a pile.  
"I think it would be wiser to move on. We could make for the Hidden Valley." Gandalf said standing up and dusted the ashes off his robe.  
"I have told you already, I will not go near that place." Thorin stated bluntly  
"Why not? The elves could help us. We could get food, rest, advice." Gandalf retorted  
"I do not need their advice." The king retorted back  
"We have a map that we cannot read. Lord Elrond could help us." The wizard sighed  
"Help? A dragon attacks Erebor, what help came from the Elves? Orcs plunder Moria, desecrate our sacred halls, the Elves looked on and did nothing. You ask me to seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather and betrayed my father." Thorin said burning with furious anger.  
"You are neither of them. I did not give you that map and key for you to hold on to the past." Gandalf said harshly  
"I did not know that they were yours to keep." Thorin roared.  
The istari stomps off angrily, leaving the Company to stare bewilderedly.  
"Everything alright? Gandalf, where are you going?" Bilbo squeaked at the raging wizard.  
"To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense." Gandalf snapped  
"Who's that?" Bilbo asked disdainfully.  
"Myself, Mr. Baggins! I've had enough of dwarves for one day." Gandalf shouted leaving.  
"Hey" Raessa protested.  
"Come on, Bombur, we're hungry." Thorin groaned  
"Is he coming back?" Bilbo asked Balin  
Balin looked unsure before shrugging his shoulders.  
Thorin peered over to where Raessa was sat, she was still drawing in the book he assumed Ori had given her, and there it was again that pang of subtle jealousy.  
His curiosity gotten the best of him, and he walked over to her but she flinched and quickly hid the notepad when she saw him.  
"**Azbad men?**" (My lady?)  
He then bent down and cupped his hand on her cheek making her glittering eyes sparkle into his.  
"**Men gajamu** for startling you **Athanu men**" He purred in his deep voice. (I'm sorry, my queen)  
"**Athanu**?" She said an octave higher than she would have liked  
Then Throin shifted into a different position so he was bent on one knee and her hand place on his calloused palm.  
"**Men lananubukhs menu**" He said looking into her eyes "**Men eleneku menu o bepap opetu ezirak**"  
"Will you be **Athanu men**?" He said his voice trembling with emotion.  
(I love you, I desire you more than an endless vein of mithril, and will you be my queen?)  
He looked expectantly at Raessa who seemed to have paled.  
She knew he liked her but surely …  
She looked at him one last time before she went dizzy and the world turned black.

Thorin felt her starting to tremble before she actually swooned before him.  
He suppressed a chuckle and caught her by the waist and planted a kiss on her forehead.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The navy blue spell of the night cast over the tainted rosy pink sky.  
A pleasing aroma of soup floated around the camp site, making a certain Dwarrowdam stir.  
"Stop it, you've had plenty." She heard Bofur scold Bombur.  
"I want sommeee" Said Raessa in a sing song voice  
"Someone's happy" Bofur grinned  
"Indeed" Came Thorins voice behind her she squealed in delight as he swept her off the feet and held her bridal style.  
"**Thanu men, Menu gamut** **khed** and **Men lananubukhs menu**" She purred as he kissed her (My king your are a wonderful person and I love you)  
Whistling and cheering was heard from the other dwarfs, as they kissed.  
Suddenly Fili and Kili come bursting through the bushes, their faces full of terror.  
"Trolls" Kili yelled  
"got Bilbo" Fili yelled after  
"And the ponies" Kili finished  
"We have to save the hobbit" Raessa said.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

The company shuffled quietly into the bushes near were the trolls camp were.  
When Raessa peeked through the bush, she saw a troll holding Bilbo in its hand covered in snot.  
She gasped rather too loudly and Dwalin clamped his hand over her mouth.  
"What are you then? An oversized squirrel?" She heard a Troll named Tom ask the snot covered Halfling.  
"I'm a burglar- uhh, Hobbit." Bilbo stuttered in reply trying to wipe snot out of his poor little eyes. "A Burgla-Hobbit?" The second Troll said staring at Bilbo in confusion.  
"Can we cook `im?" The first troll, Tom asked poking Bilbo in the belly with his grubby finger.  
"We can try!" The second troll who she gathered was called William tried to grab Bilbo but he dodges out of the way only to be cornered by the third troll, Bert.  
"He wouldn't make more than a mouthful, not when he's skinned and boned!" Said the third troll, Bert.  
"Perhaps there's more Burglar-Hobbits around these parts. Might be enough for a pie." Yelled the second Troll William looking around.  
"Grab him!" Bert yelled trying to grab Bilbo.  
"It's too quick!" Groaned the eldest troll William.  
As the trolls try to catch the Halfling, he ran around trying to dodge them. One of the trolls accidentally hit another with its rusty ladle while trying to hit Bilbo. The Halfling eventually got caught by the legs by the fattest Troll, and it dangled Bilbo in the air by his legs. "Come here, you little... Gotcha! Are there any more of you little fellas `iding where you shouldn't?" Asked the troll holding him.  
"Nope." Bilbo said crinkling his nose.  
"He's lying." Yelled the Troll sat near the fire.  
"No I'm not!" Bilbo yelled back making Rae raise her eyebrows at the Halflings courage.  
"Hold his toes over the fire. Make him squeal." Yelled the Troll by the fire standing up making a move towards him. Kili suddenly ran out of the bushes we were hidden in and cut the troll who got up in the leg, making it howl and fall near the fire.  
"Drop him!" Kili threatened the Troll holding Bilbo.  
"You what?" It snarled back  
"I said, drop him." Kili said making me facepalm.  
It throws Bilbo at Kili; Bilbo landed on the young brunette dwarf, knocking them both down. The rest of the Company charges out of the bushes yelling and brandishing their weapons. They begin fighting the trolls, hacking, slashing, and hammering their legs. As the dwarves fight, Bilbo grabs William's knife and cuts the ropes while Raessa guided the freed ponies out of harm's way. Tom the oldest and ugliest troll caught them and grabbed Raessa and Bilbo by the legs. The dwarves stop fighting when they see the trolls holding Bilbo and Raessa by the arms and legs.  
"Bilbo!" Kili yelled  
"No!" Thorin yelled "Raessa!"  
"Lay down your arms, or we'll rip theirs off." One of the Trolls threatened  
Thorin looked at Bilbo and Raessa in frustration, and then planted his sword in the ground. The others drop their swords and weapons on the muddy floor as well.

The trolls have tied several dwarves Dwalin, Bofur, Dori, Ori and Nori onto a spit and are roasting them over a fire; the rest Thorin, Kili, Gloin, Bombur, Balin and Oin, Raessa and Bilbo, are tied up in sacks nearby.  
"Don't bother cooking them. Let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly." Groaned one of the trolls.  
"They should be sautéed and grilled with a sprinkle of sage." Said the other Troll throwing something onto the dwarfs on the spitfire.  
"Is this really necessary?" Dori yelled as some pepper went into his eyes.  
"Ooh, that does sound quite nice." Said the other troll ignoring the dwarfs protests.  
"Untie us, you monsters!" Oin screamed at them muttering something else under his breath.  
"Take on someone your own size!" Gloin yelled squirming in the sack.  
The dwarves on the spit and in the bags are all making noises and muttering to each other in fear. "Never mind the seasoning; we ain't got all night! Dawn ain't far away, so let's get a move on. I don't fancy being turned to stone." Groaned the youngest troll.  
Raessa and Bilbo, hearing what Tom said, had an idea.  
"Wait! You are making a terrible mistake." Bilbo said somehow managing to prop himself onto his feet still tied in his sack and he hopped closer to the revolting Trolls.  
"You can't reason with them, they're half-wits!" Dori yelled  
"Half-wits? What does that make us?" Bofur said making me giggle earning a small glare from Thorin.  
"Uh, I meant with the, uh, with, uh, with the seasoning." Bilbo stuttered  
"What about the seasoning?" yelled the Troll holding the ladle.  
"Well have you smelt them? You're going to need something stronger than sage before you plate this lot up." Bilbo said crinkling up his nose.  
The dwarves yell at Bilbo, calling him a traitor. The ones in sacks kick him.  
"What do you know about cooking dwarf?" said a troll eyeing up Bilbo.  
"Shut up, and let the, uh, flurgaburburrahobbit talk." Hissed another  
"Uh, th-the secret to cooking dwarf is, um-" Bilbo said  
"Yes? Come on." Urged a Troll  
"It's, uh-" Bilbo stuttered  
"Tell us the secret." The troll hissed  
"Ye-yes, I'm telling you, the secret is … to skin them first!"  
"Tom, get me the filleting knife." Yelled the troll.  
"If I get you, you little-" Gloin threatened  
"I won't forget that!" Dwalin yelled.  
Then Bifur yelled something in Khuzdul at Bilbo.  
"**Gelek menu caragu rukhs**" (You smell like Orc dung)  
"What a load of rubbish! I've eaten plenty with their skins on. Scuff them, I say, boots and all." Said the troll with the ladle.  
Raessa noticed the tip of a all too familiar grey hat flutter between the trees and rocks she noticed that some of the others had noticed too.  
"`e's right! Nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf! Nice and crunchy."  
The troll grabs Bombur, who is in a sack, and dangles him upside down over his mouth, about to eat him.  
"Not-not that one, he-he's infected!" Bilbo lied  
"You what?" the troll yelled at Bilbo  
"Yeah, He's got worms in his … tubes." Raessa said catching onto Bilbos plan.  
The troll drops Bombur back into the pile of Dwarves in disgust.  
In-in fact they all have, they're in-infested with parasites. It's a terrible business; I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't." Bilbo squeaked.  
"Parasites, did he say parasites?" Oin roared  
"We don't have parasites! You have parasites!"  
"What are you talking about, laddie?"  
"The poor lass has lost it too!"  
The rest of the dwarves chime in about how they don't have parasites and how Bilbo is a fool and how Raessa's brain has been scrambled. Bilbo and Raessa rolled their eyes as the dwarves mess up his and Raessa's plan. Thorin, finally understood their plan, and kicked the others. They then understood the plan finally and went along with it. All the dwarves begin proclaiming about how they're "riddled" with parasites.  
"I've got parasites as big as my arm." Oin squeaked.  
"Mine are the biggest parasites, I've got huge parasites!" Kili roared  
"Nuh, uh I have bigger parasites than him" Raessa winked cheekily at them.  
"We're riddled." Nori proclaimed  
"Yes, I'm riddled." Ori said  
"Yes we are. Badly!" Bofur lamented.  
"What would you have us do, then, let 'em all go?" one of the trolls yelled  
"Well..." Bilbo mused.  
"You think I don't know what you're up to? This little ferret is taking us for fools!" It roared  
"Ferret?" Bilbo said disdainfully wrinkling up his nose.  
"Fools?" said another troll.  
Suddenly a man draped in a grey robe appeared on a high rock that overlooked the clearing they were in.  
"The dawn will take you all!" The wizard announced.  
"Who's that?" said the smallest troll  
"No idea." Replied the troll with the ladle.  
"Can we eat `im too?" said the fattest one.  
Gandalf strikes the rock with his staff, splitting it in half, allowing the sunlight behind it to pour into the clearing. When the sunlight touches the trolls' skin, they begin turning into stone amidst loud screams and howls of pain. Within seconds, there are three stone statues of trolls in the clearing. All the dwarves cheer for Gandalf. Of course, the dwarves on the spit, including Dwalin, still look uncomfortable.  
"Oh, get your foot out of my back!" Dwalin roared.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine: **

It'd been an hour after the incident with the trolls, the company retired back to their camp since their sleep had been delayed. So decided to catch up on the lost sleep, Gandalf said once they had recovered they could go and investigate the supposed troll hoard.  
The fire was glowing with life once again, and the company laid their bedrolls around it.  
No matter how much Raessa tried, she couldn't sleep. She noticed the Halfling had the same issues as well, and then she decided she would not sleep, yet.  
Lady Raessa then sat up and looked at the hobbit, which seemed to be harassing the floor to try and get comfortable, a small chortle left her chapped lips. The hobbit turned around and gave her a meek smile in return.  
"Can't sleep?" She asked the hobbit and returned his smile.  
"Yes, I can't sleep when these roots keep digging into my back."  
"Just close your eyes" She replied "And imagine you're in your feather stuffed bed back at bag end" She let out a yawn. Raessa heard Bilbo huff slightly as he turned onto his back and try her advice.  
It had probably been a quarter of an hour; she thought the Halfling had fallen asleep until his voice broke out through the silence.  
"It's useless" He muttered sitting back up.  
"I know" She sighed  
Then the Hobbit said completely out of the blue.  
"So how did you and Thorin meet?" Bilbo asked innocently.  
She just blinked at him in reply, "Um- well that's a long long story."  
"We have more than enough time" He smiled.  
"Alright" She said.

Flash back: Raessa POV at 24 years old, the attack of smaug.  
I ran down the royal wing, giggling as a raven haired prince chased after me. I suddenly stopped and Thorin bumped into my back, he and I shared the same stoic face as we watched Thorins grandfather flaunting around the treasury room again. Thorin looked a mixture of angry and depressed, I hesitantly laced my hand into his somewhat calloused hands.  
I stared into my best friends eyes and offered him a genuine smile. We had been friends since birth literally, we were both born on the same day minutes apart our mothers were the best of friends.  
People said it was a good omen that we were meant to be me and Thorin cringed at this idea. But now it seems….  
Suddenly the earth shacked beneath me, my eyes widened in fear as the solid stone beneath me cracked from the force of the quake. Then a horrendous ear piercing roar shattered our eardrums, the alarm horns were sounding and cries could be heard echoing from the halls.  
I looked at Thorin who looked worriedly at me and his grandfather. We both rushed towards his grandfather and tried to pry him from the room but he wouldn't budge.  
I felt like my mind was in a haze nothing seemed real, tears streamed down my face but I didn't feel them. All I saw was fire; I see fire, burning everything. It suddenly came close and that's when I saw it the beast, Smaug the destroyer. I felt Thorins vice grip slip away from mine as I was ambushed by a river of sweating bodies all lunging towards the crumbling exit. Suddenly I felt the pressure of people pushing me forward suddenly stop. When I turned to see why, I wished didn't, crushed dwarfs and blood of splattered gore surrounded the crumbled debris that had fallen from above. I let out a choked sob and marched on forward. I prayed to Mahal that Thorin and his family and her own were okay. I saw the entrance not too far away, I also noticed what I hoped to be my brother limping towards the exit, I felt like my whole world had just been obliterated, everything I knew everything I had learnt had just been destroyed, I had never been outside the mountain.  
"RACHEA" I yelled at the top of my lungs hoping my brother could hear me over the chaos, he didn't. So I tried my hardest to make my way towards him, then I saw Thorin sword in hand grandfather in the other sun beating against him fur adorned back looking oh so majestic.  
He noticed me we locked eyes, he looked relived. As we fled to the overlook, I saw Dale, or at least what was once dale, it is now a pile of debris, a desolation.  
Once we were all near safety on the hill that overlooked both Dale and Erebor, I noticed an army of Elf's watching the scene before them hidden amongst their tree s.  
Then I noticed Thorin waving frantically at them yelling for their aid, but the Elf king just stared and rode away. My hatred of Elf's stemmed that day.  
I managed to push my way through the crowd, towards Thorin as Rachea my brother was there with him and Thorins grandfather.  
From a kingdom of so many, few of us survived the attack. And even fewer of us survived the wandering days. Dwalin and Balin, my other best friends stared at me with the same teary ash covered eyes as many others did. I, Thorin, Balin and Dwalin didn't sleep that night; we walked until our wary feet could take us no more. I didn't know if my family were alive or dead, I presumed the worse, except for my eldest brother who was tagging along with us along with Thorins grandfather, sister and Father. We didn't know where we were walking, we just walked.  
Until one weary day we came across a village of men, offering work. Thorin sold his fancy amour so did many of the other dwarfs, so they could buy some food, or just a comfort of a room for a night in a rundown tavern. Thorin managed to snag a job in the local forges, he became a blacksmith. And I became a lowly bar maid. But at least at the end of every shift I at least saw seven familiar faces of my kin again. Thorin visited late at nights in sweat soaked tabby garments. Thorin managed to convince his sister princess Dis to get a job looking after the young ones of the village. As she was still too young for any other job. We managed, we survived, barley scraping by the day. It's sad really, when we were sat upon our mighty gold of Erebor we would have sniggered and pitied people like what we are today. We travelled village to village seeking any work possible.  
Years flew by as we travelled in large groups of dwarfs from village to village. One day, Dwalin's sister Kalin caught the wandering flu. The bane of all wandering Dwarfs, it usually only ends in one thing, Death. She was laid in one of the wagons we had managed to acquire over the years of hardship. Kalin looked so weak and frail; she was one of the youngest amongst us. She didn't last a chance it only took two days for Mahal to claim her. Dwalin didn't talk for about half a year, his usual mirth seeped away like his sister. He became the hard recluse of a dwarf we know today.  
He used up all his time in the forges and training, we all did, but no one trained as much as Dwalin. He and Thorin became the best warriors any of the traveling dwarfs had seen. Thorin practiced in sword art while Dwalin sided with axes, personally I like a good axe but I can fight with either.  
Years flew by, and so did our fun, the days of glory and fun were long gone. Our burdens, our losses are what shaped us to what we are today.  
Our true burdens fully awoken at the Battle of Azanulbizar in TA 2799.  
I, Thorin and Dwalin helped lead the attack with Thor and Thrain. We tried to get every able bodied dwarf to fight for Moria. Hoping to reclaim it in hopes of slaying the Balrog and living there.  
I had never seen so many orcs in her life. They poured over the slope against our charge, an unrelenting torrent of black rippling down like the brooding clouds above. Crouching from a spot by the trees, I drew an arrow back with a strong pull. As I released, the bow shot a tremor up my arm. Fifty or so yards away, a faint thunk and a charging orc suddenly pitched forward into the slope. By the time it fell, I had already nocked another arrow and taken aim at another orc barrelling towards me. Pwft. The orc stopped in its tracks, its face twisting in sharp pain, and then toppled into the ground. I was never one of using a bow and arrow but I had no choice at the time I needed to get to high ground so if being in a tree was what it meant so be it. I felt like an Elf I want to vomit.  
_They're getting closer_. Us dwarfs put up a gallant fight, but the orcs kept coming and coming, The relentless black sea pushed the dwarf charge back, back towards the edge of the valley, nearing the woods. All around me, steel clanged against steel, blade squelched against hot red flesh, and ferocious battle roars mixed with unbridled screams and howls of pain. The hibernal earth, parched in the dry winter air, now soaked in brown-red blood and sinew as foe hacked foe into the ground.  
Suddenly, a goblin leaped before me, gnashing gruesome teeth. He thrust a mottled blade at my head. I Ducked and then lunged forward, slashing his right shoulder. A spurt of blood splattered on My tattered armour. I spun quickly around and cracked her sword's pommel against the base of the goblin's skull. He crumpled to the ground in a limp heap. I then Noticed Thorin fighting a couple of yards away from me. I fought my way towards him slashing and hacking anything daring to come in my way. I stood back to back with Thorin and together we fought anything that dared come in our way. Thrór was on our right; he quickly turned to Thorin and gave him a ring, before he marched off the face the largest palest Orc on the battle field, Azog.  
I let out a blood curdling scream as I watched Thrór's head come off in one slice of Azogs rugged blade. Thorin let out a string of words in Khuzdul as he charged forward towards the filthy creature.  
"Thorin, NOOOO" I screamed as he was knocked to the ground his sword flung away from him, I watched in horror was Thorin used only an oaken branch as a shield.  
I let my guard down for too long as a goblin slashed at my legs making me drop to the ground, Thorin upon noticing me cry out in pain must of got a new bound of energy as he slashed off Azogs hand and part of his arm making it howl in pain staggering away, Thorin made his way slowly to me.  
"Im fine" I said wiping blood from my mouth standing up, Thorin nodded once and we rallied the dwarfs and pushed the Orcs and goblins back.  
The battle soon ended without the goblins and orcs leaded Azog, but no celebration occurred that night no feast no songs. For our death was beyond counting. That's when I saw them; Frerin lay slain with my brothers beside him. I dropped to my knees before them and sobbed, that's when I saw my fathers decapitated head, I hadn't seen him since before smaug's attack and now, now he's.  
Dwalin, dropped down before me as did Balin, we all huddled together and cried. I looked up and Thorin stood on a raised up part of the battle field staring off into the mass of dwarfs stood as kingly as ever with a stoic yet majestic expression on him. He was searching for his father. I heard Thrain was slain, no one ever found out. As we scoured the fallen yet his body was not amongst them, we presumed he was dead or taken captive it broke Thorins heart. His brother, his father, his grandfather and friends we all lost them all.  
We had never been the same Dwarfs since.  
_

Years passed as did decades, and dwarfs resettled in the Blue Mountains.  
Thorin became Lord of Ered Luin, and I was somewhat back to a Nobel lady. But life was hard, rations were made, farming was impossible and famine and disease was common. Until a well-known famous miner, Bofur hit a strain of gold while mining so we prospered for a small time.  
But as winter came around again more dwarfs died from starvation and poverty. Indeed life was hard and a smile never adorned a dwarf's face. Dis' baby sons Fili and Kili grew sick. And we feared the worst. But as spring came back around they pulled through and grew up to be healthy dwarfling.  
I couldn't stand the poverty and death so one day I left.  
I bought a pony and travelled, until I came to a place called the shire. Queer little folk lived there, and when I stopped for questions I met a lovely woman named belladonna. She helped me find my way to Bree and she also gave me plenty of lovely food.  
I lived in Bree for two decades, working in the prancing pony and sometimes in the forges.  
But the raven haired prince, Thorin wouldn't leave my mind. For two decades he lingered in my dreams, thoughts and mind. I needed to see him, so when I rode back to Ered Luin I saw my prince, but he was being tailed by many other women. One of them caught sight of me and scoffed, I knew her from when we lived in Erebor her name is Farona. A Nobel lady such as myself.  
She glared at me and then smirked as she placed a kiss on Thorins hair face. I stopped dead; Thorin and I locked eyes I fled from Ered Luin never to return.  
A decade later, in bree. I heard a new blacksmith was in town. I went to inspect only for a choked gasp to escape from my slightly chapped lips as an all too familiar face came into view.  
"T-Thorin" I said gasping.  
"Raessa" He said in the same fashion.  
We spent 6 months together and it felt like the golden days back in the glory of Erebor. It wasn't to last, Thorin had to go back to Ered Luin. He wanted me to follow. I refused to step back into that death trap. Our only source of contact for years was through letters, Until they stopped.  
Then I got a letter from Farona claiming him to be dead.  
Until he and an a grey robed pilgrim entered my bar in TA 2941.

Raessa told Bilbo many stories that night of her life. And soon they both fell asleep.  
What Raessa didn't know was that Thorin was listening to them all and now he was the one that couldn't sleep.


End file.
